Joe Keery Imagines Vol. 2

Late-Night Visitor - Gator Tillman

"Gator. . ."

"No," I gently cut her off. "I'm sorry, Y/N, but that's non-negotiable. You don't want to talk about it. Fine. But I'm sure as hell not letting you out of my sight."

I felt a little better when Y/N tightened her arms around me and giggled. "I'm okay with that."

We spent the night watching a random TV movie, but neither one of us paid attention to it. Y/N fell asleep almost instantly and I was more focused on trying to figure out how Y/N got the bruise on her perfect face.

I have to figure out who did this to my Y/N. And when I do, I'll handle it. Handle him.

"Why the hell was your gun outside, on the driveway?" My dad barked as he stormed in. "Oh," he stopped when he saw Y/N asleep with her head on the pillow on my lap. "I didn't know Y/N was coming over tonight."

"I didn't either," I sighed, looking at her.

"Is that. . ." He stopped when he saw the bruise on her face. He walked over and knelt in front of us. He reached forward, hovering his hand over her cheek. "What happened?"

"Someone's been hurting her," I whispered.

"Who?" He asked through his teeth. My dad hated all of my friends. All of them except Y/N. For some reason, she was the only one he approved of. She was the only one he'd smile at when he saw she was over instead of his usual scowl.

"She won't tell me," I said, my anger returning. "Ever since she fell asleep, I've been going through everyone in her life. Everyone we went to school with, everyone she works with. I have no idea who's hurting her, Dad."

"We'll find out," he nodded as he stood up. "Don't worry, kid. We'll find him. Until we do, she's welcome to stay here."

"Are you sure?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Of course," he said, not hiding his surprise. "If someone is hurting Y/N, we are going to keep her safe until we find out who is stupid enough to lay a hand on her. And not just because it's our job."

* * * * *

I woke up to someone calling out for help. I rolled over and saw Y/N tossing and turning.

"Y/N?" I said, my voice soft. I sat up and gently shook her. "Y/N, you're okay. Wake up. Come on, Y/N."

"No," she mumbled. "Please. . . Please, Dad. Don't hurt him."

Dad. . .

"Holy shit," I said under my breath. Y/N's dad is the one who's been hurting her.

"No!" Y/N yelled, her voice rising. "Please, don't. Dad, please. He's. . . Gator. . . No!"

Y/N gasped awake, sitting up and choking on a sob. "Y/N," I said gently. My heart somersaulted when she gasped. "It's just me, Y/N. You're safe. He can't hurt you."

"Gator," she whispered.

"That's right," I smiled as I reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. I let my hand linger as I continued to reassure her. "I'm right here."

I gasped when she tucked into my chest. I instantly wrapped my arms around her and laid us down. I smiled when she cuddled into my chest.

"Y/N," I whispered, unable to stop myself for much longer. "Is your Dad the one who's been hurting you?"

Y/N answered me by sobbing into my shirt. I tightened my arms around her and rolled onto my side so our faces were inches apart.

"I'm not going to let him keep hurting you," I whispered. "The last thing I want is for him to take you from me."

"But Gator. . ."

"No," I cut her off. "No buts. I'm not going to sit by and let him hurt the girl I. . ."

I cut myself off before I could say too much. I stared into Y/N's wide eyes, waiting to see if she figured it out.

"Gator," she whispered. My heart jumped into my throat as I sat up.

"Look," I sighed, "I know this probably isn't the best time but. . . I can't hide my feelings anymore."

"Anymore?" She asked, sitting up. "Gator, how long have you been hiding your feelings?"

I looked into her eyes, suddenly full of courage as I remembered something my mom used to say about 20 seconds of insane courage.

"Ever since we were kids," I confessed.

"That long?" She asked, her voice getting caught in her throat. I leaned in and gently pressed my lips to hers. I broke the kiss and kept my face inches from her.

"Longer," I teased, making her giggle. This time when I kissed her, she grabbed my face and deepened the kiss.

"Y/N," I whispered, breaking the kiss. "Was your dad the one who hit you?"

"Gator. . ." She started but I leaned back.

"Please," I sighed. "Tell me, Y/N. I need to know so I can protect you."

"Yes," she whispered. "It was my dad."

I controlled my anger so I could focus on protecting my girl. "How long has he been doing this to you?"

"I don't know," she stuttered. "I mean. . . Please don't get mad but. . ."

"I won't get mad at you, gorgeous," I whispered as I reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"He's been doing this for as long as I can remember," she admitted.

It was getting harder and harder to push down my anger. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"I was gonna," she stuttered. "I was just. . . Scared."

"Scared?" I asked. "Of what? Of me? Y/N, I would never hurt you. You know that, right? I love you. I'd never. . ."

"You love me?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She reached over and grabbed my hands.

"Yeah," I slightly stuttered. "I mean, I told you I had feelings for you."

"True," she said, moving so she was straddling my hips. "But you didn't tell me you loved me."

"I do," I whispered. "I love you, Y/N."

"I love you too, Gator."

Y/N giggled as I laid us back down without breaking the kiss. I rolled us over so I was hovering over her. I had to force myself to slow down. I broke the kiss and leaned my forehead against hers.

"I love you, Y/N," I whispered. "And I promise, no one will ever take you from me."

* * * * *

A few weeks later, I woke up to some soft tapping on the window. I threw off my covers when I saw Y/N smiling weakly.

"What did he do?" I asked as I quickly opened my window. Y/N chuckled as I helped her into my room and instantly wrapped her in my arms.

"Gator," she said, her voice muffled by my shirt. I let her go just enough so she could lean back and look up at me. "He didn't touch me."

"He didn't?"

"Nope," she chuckled.

"Then why are you here?" I asked. "And why did you sneak through my window?"

"Well," she said, her innocent smile losing its innocence, "to answer your first question; I wanted to see you. And to answer your second question; I wanted to come over without your dad knowing we were up here. Alone. With the door closed."

"Sneaky girl."

"Would you rather me leave?" She teased as she stepped out of my hold. I grabbed her and instantly pulled her back to me.

"Absolutely not."